Some governmental regulations currently require vehicle owners to have their vehicle emissions periodically checked by a certified testing facility to verify that they do not exceed predetermined limits. Often times, the regulations require that the owners take their vehicles to certified facilities to collect vehicle emissions data from the vehicle. The vehicle emissions data is typically collected in one of several different ways. According to one method, the vehicle emissions are measured by a device that is connected to the vehicle's tailpipe while the vehicle is being driven on a dynamometer over a driving cycle that simulates typical city driving and includes periods of acceleration, cruise, and deceleration. According to another method which is used primarily with newer vehicles, various electronic modules located throughout the vehicle collect vehicle emissions data while the vehicle is being driven. This data can then be transferred from an onboard diagnostic port (OBDII port) on the vehicle to a certified diagnostic machine that is designed to collect such information.
After the vehicle emissions test is complete, the vehicle owner is usually provided with test results in the form of a computer generated report. Some governmental regulations require that the vehicle owner then provide the test results to a designated governmental entity, like a Secretary of State or a Department of Motorized Vehicles, before they are able to register or renew their vehicle license plates.